South Dakota
Fishing License 2026.

License required?

Yes

Where to apply?

South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks (SDGFP) — online at GFP.SD.gov, GFP regional offices, and 500+ license agents.

Cost

Resident annual $28; Non-resident annual $67; Non-resident 1-day $16, 3-day $37. Family non-resident (spouse) add-on $44. No separate trout or habitat stamp — covered by base license.

Validity

January 1 – December 31 (calendar year).

Available online?

Yes

Residents under 16 fish free. Residents 65+ pay $12 Senior annual. Free Fishing Weekend: mid-May. Lifetime fishing license $240 resident. Military on leave fish free. Missouri River reciprocity with Nebraska for boundary waters.

Closed seasons

Most species year-round. Walleye/Sauger on Lake Oahe + Missouri River: 15" min, 4/day combined (slot regs on some pools). Salmon (Chinook) at Oahe: 3/day, no size. Trout: 5/day Black Hills streams, 8" min.

Catch limits

Walleye 4/day (8 in possession), 15" min on the Missouri. Smallmouth Bass 5/day, 14" min. Northern Pike 6/day. Yellow Perch 15/day (25 on Waubay complex). Chinook Salmon 3/day at Oahe.

Prohibited methods

No snagging (except paddlefish lottery season on Missouri River). Bowfishing permitted for rough fish. Max 2 lines most waters, 4 lines on ice with ice-fishing stamp included. Setlines banned.

Catch & Release

Voluntary. Trophy walleye (28"+) on Oahe and pike on prairie sloughs commonly released. Black Hills wild brown trout streams: single barbless hooks encouraged.

Paddlefish snag lottery on Missouri River below Gavins Point (shared with NE). Lake Oahe is the crown-jewel walleye fishery in the U.S. — 230-mile reservoir on the Missouri. Black Hills offer coldwater stream fishing for trout — totally different geography from prairie lakes.

Best season

May–June walleye spawn post-peak bite on Oahe; July–August smallmouth on Sharpe rocky shorelines; September–October chinook salmon run at Oahe tailwaters; ice fishing Dec–Feb on Waubay + Bitter for trophy perch.

Freshwater

Missouri River system dominates — Oahe, Sharpe, Francis Case, and Lewis & Clark form a chain of massive reservoirs. Northeast glacial prairie pothole region (Waubay, Bitter) for perch + walleye. Black Hills in the far west hold cold spring-fed trout streams — a stark contrast to the prairie fisheries.

Saltwater

Landlocked — no saltwater fishery.

Equipment

Scheels in Sioux Falls + Rapid City. Runnings and dedicated walleye shops in Pierre (Oahe hub), Mobridge, and Fort Pierre. Dakota Angler in Rapid City for Black Hills fly tackle.

Fishing guides

$500–$800/day walleye guides on Oahe + Sharpe (Pierre/Mobridge); $400–$600 chinook salmon trolling (fall); $300–$500 Black Hills trout wade trips.

Transport

Fly into Sioux Falls (FSD) for eastern prairies (3 hr to Oahe), Rapid City (RAP) for Black Hills + western Oahe, Pierre Regional (PIR) directly on Oahe. Long drives standard — SD is big and empty. Rental car required.

Safety

Oahe is huge open water — 40+ mph winds produce 6-ft waves, boats should be 18 ft+. Prairie storms develop fast with hail. Winter ice fishing requires dressing for -20°F windchill. Rattlesnakes in Black Hills + badlands summer months.

License fees

$28 resident / $67 non-resident annual

Guide prices

$300–$800/day

Daily budget

$55–$95 DIY; $500–$750 guided Oahe walleye trip.